


A Small Truth

by SpiritTalker



Category: Star Stable Online
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-18 23:22:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18127883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiritTalker/pseuds/SpiritTalker
Summary: Daine takes Sybil on a much needed outing to de-stress from a large order but Daine's idea of relaxing backfires for Sybil when she meets Ydris.





	A Small Truth

### Part 1

* * *

 

 **Sybil** was in her tiny kitchen, slammed with baking work for a customer in Fort Pinta. She had made the mistake of accepting an order of 100 of her fig and rum cakes which she had mistaken for ten. A soft knock on the door caught her ears, though with mixing bowl in hand she was too preoccupied to answer it "Come in!" She shouted, going back to her work when she heard the door squeak open and then shut. "In here," she shouted again as she began pouring the rum-infused cake batter into the molds which she had just emptied of their previous cooled occupants, the cool cakes sitting on the counter waiting for their frosting before being put in the cake boxes. A tingling sensation made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and she set the now empty mixing bowl down on the counter "Don't you even think about it," She said as she turned and eyed **Daine** as he was reaching for one of the cakes. Sheepishly Daine drew his hand back and shoved it into the pocket of his blue-grey hoodie. "Awe, come on Sybil it's just one," he said as he pushed out his lower lip to give her a sad face "I was able to smell these all the way from the Ranger station," Like a mother Sybil put her hands on her hips as she looked up at Daine who was much taller than she before throwing her hands in the air"Alright, alright you can have one, but go easy on the frosting I'm running low on milk and Andy still owes me an egg delivery," The short chocolate brown haired woman wiped her hands on the increasingly dirty apron she wore as she looked around at the mess that was her kitchen. "Why are you making so many?" Daine asked through a mouthful of rum cake, frosting dribbling down the side of his chin which made Sybil choke on a laugh. "Well," she said after managing to catch her breath "I made an oops for an order of 100 instead of ten," She went to wipe her brow only to realize she was absolutely covered in flour from head to toe.  
  
Daine tossed her one of the towels hanging next to the sink and she wiped her face and neck with it, smearing the white powder over her face. Daine looked at her with a raised brow "I think you need to get out of here for a bit, take a break." Sybil very much wanted that too but she still had twenty or so cakes to bake, cool and frost. "I don't know," she said as she rang the towel in her hands "I have so much to do still," Daine narrowed his eyes at her and walked up, taking the towel from her. "You need a break, come on we'll just go for a short ride.. get your eggs and milk and come back?" Sybil still wasn't 100% sold but she agreed and went to wash her face and arms, she would properly clean herself up later. She came back out, turning the oven off before wandering outside where Daine was waiting for her. To her surprise, he had already saddled Northwind for her and was sitting on his favorite horse Cloud as he waited for her. She dusted off her minty green tunic and moved the pull herself up onto Northwind's back. She had almost got all the way up when her knee gave out and she fell backward onto the ground, laying in the dirt stunned with her arms outstretched. Daine all but flew off of Cloud to kneel next to her "Jesus Sybil are you ok?" She still lay there but waved him away "Yeah I'll be fine...just my old body giving out. Leave me to die here in the dust," Daine punched her arm as lightly as he could manage but for Sybil, it still ached. "You're not old, and what kind of person falls without even trying to stop themselves?" Sybil narrowed her grey-green eyes at him "Apparently me," she said before taking the hand he outstretched and hauled her to her feet. They both dusted her off before Daine all but place the petite woman in her saddle, "If you fall off again, I'm not helping you," he said as he handed her the reins. "Ok, I'll wait till we're over the bridge and fall off into the water, you can just leave me there," she joked to which he shot her an acidic look. "Alright, alright," she said, holding her hands up.

Once Daine was back up on Cloud's back they made their way down the trail beside the Mistfall Lake and worked their way around it till they came to the crossroads. "Should we see if we can hitch a ride to Firgrove or?" Sybil said, turning Northwind so that they could go either way. "I think you need a longer break than just that, don't try to get out of it," Daine said over his shoulder as he urged Cloud down the trail towards the underground entrance to Mistfall. Sybil sighed, she had a feeling this quick outing was going to turn into an all-day event, but through her panic at finishing the order, she felt ok with that. Everything was so quiet, the birds were singing so very loudly that Sybil was sure you could hear them in Southhoof. She looked out onto the sea as they rode over the bridge, the waves were a soothing background noise but one that didn't compare to the wolf song she heard every night. Her steely green eyes flickered back to the quickly disappearing figure of Daine on Cloud, "Shit," she said tapping her heels into Northwind's sides as he surged forward and raced after the dappled grey Lusitano before bunny hopping back into a trot a few paces behind them. To keep her mind from wandering she started to hum the first few bits of a song she had heard come across the radio; Daine looked over his shoulder at her with a brow raised. _"This old Highway's getting longer, it seems there ain't no end in sight,"_ Sybil said in her best quieter singing voice. Daine shook his head dismissively which made his dark hair bounce around his shoulders. She urged North faster to be beside Daine now with a smirk _"To sleep would be best, but I just can't afford the rest. I gotta ride in Denver tomorrow night,"_ Still faster Cloud was urged which put Daine back ahead of her "If you keep singing that slang suicide music I'll push you off your horse myself," he said playfully but she knew he meant it. She thought for a few minutes as they passed by the jumping corral. She hummed the first few bits, Daine didn't seem to mind that one so much _"You've carried on so long you couldn't stop if you tried it,"_ she tried again just as quietly but to her surprise Daine answered _"You've built your walls so high that no one could climb it,"_ she let Daine finish out that whole bit before she started in with the second chorus. They trotted down the path singing that song to each other that Sybil didn't even notice that they had crossed the bridge into Silverglade and were winding their way to Moorland. Until the last  _'Tonight,'_ and she looked around, seeing the lighthouse looming in front of them now. "Hey! I thought you said we were only going on a quick trip,"  Daine gave her his best innocent grins "Well," he said with an almost sickly sweetness "Since we're here, I might as well take you to the big top," Sybil was confused at first, had some circus come to Moorland?

As they topped the hill Sybil could see a purple circus tent flying a pink flag just on the other side of the Baroness' castle. The ride through Moorland and up the pass to the abandoned farm was almost eerily quiet except for the peal of hammer against metal from the blacksmith.The closer they rode towards the big top the more Sybil felt like there wa a cannonball in her gut. There were two men standing outside a purple wagon, one was tal and lean, dressed in a stylish suit of eggplant with a cream button down, the other was short and pudgy wearing a clown costume and wearing a blue mask. Her blood felt like ice as she got closer and closer, her head spinning as she dismounted when Daine did. He must have introduced her as everyone was looking at her but she couldn't hear them over the roaring of blood ringing in her ears. Daine looked at her with concern, the edges of her vision turning black but she was focusing on the man in the suit. Something was wrong, he didn't belong. With tunneled vision it was only her and the man standing there, her eyes felt heavy as she blinked and when she opened them again his skin was coated in indigo scales. A warmth touched the middle of her back which seemed to suck her out of the vision. She blinked a few times before realizing everyone was staring at her, Northwind having put his nose against her in concern. "Are...you alright?" Daine asked gingerly "You look...pale," he took her hand and put his other on the crook of her arm as if to hold her upright. His touch was like fire burning along her skin, or was she just that cold? She swallowed hard before mustering up a weak smile "Yeah, i'm..." she cast her eyes down, clenching her hand into a fist to kpep it from shaking, "I'm fine, it's nothing," Northwind pressed his head into her back, he knew she was lying and she would hear about it the rest of the day. "I'm sorry," She said as she looked up at Daine "I've gone and messed up my first impression here," The other man laughed as he was now standing in front of her, and icy coldness settling over her skin now that he was closer. He took her hand and brushed the lightest of caresses over the smooth but still flour covered skin of her hand "Nonesense little dove, I think you've made the greatest  _impression,_ " The stare from him made Sybil feel small between the two men towering over her "Sybil this is.. a friend of mine...this is," But before Daine could finish the man swept away stretching his arms out wide "I am the amazing **Ydris** , and this is my circus of dreams!"

Sybil looked around, it seemed pretty empty here but that odd feeling told her something wasn't right here. Dained pointed over to a much smaller tent with a flashing sign "Ydris does fortunes, maybe have him read yours?" Again Sybil gulped but put on a smile for Daine's sake, he was trying so hard to help her relax, "Oh yeah, that sounds like fun," Ydris nodded and herded Sybil over towards the tent "Go in, get comfy. I'll be with you shortly to reveal your destiny, little dove," Sybil nodded her head slowly, but looked back to see Daine and Ydris slipping into the wagon before she thrust herself into the darkess of the fortune teller tent. In it there was a table with the largest crystal ball she had ever seen and two chairs. She collapsed into the chair on the near side of the crystal and foldedher arms on the table. She buried her head in her arms and sobs raked her body as she trembled. It took her an eternity to calm herself as she blotted the tears and wiped her tear and flour streaked face with the sleeve of her tunic. It was then that she noticed the crystal ball had filled with bright pink clouds and before she could stop herself she reached out and touched it. It felt as if the crystal had sucked her inside, everything was pink but also grimly dark. Laughter echoed in her ears and so did a helpless sobbing before she found herself leaned back in the chair with a hand on her shouder. "You shouldn't touch things that don't belong to you, dove," Ydris said as he moved around her to sit in the larger chair opposite her. "I-I'm sorry," she said, wringing her hands in her lap "Shh," Ydris said as his own hands caressed the crystal ball which flared to life again brilliantly and illuminated the tent. She watched as the rosey clouds swirled inside it "I am not the only one to see visions, to see things that others cannot. There is another who can, but holds back from her friends out of fear that they will abandon her. Her fears are rooted deep but should the dove find her wings she would see herself soar to places she had never thought possible," Sybil stared up into Ydris' eyes and it was then she noticed they were two different colors, one a solid and dark earthy brown the other one as blue and brilliant as a morning sky. They stared at each other silently communicating until the crystal went dark and Ydris stood up, ushering her out "That's all for today. Come back tomorrow for another," Once out of the tent Sybil took in a deep breath and looked around. Daine was leaning against the wagon, cigarette in his mouth as he played with his phone. She tried not to sprint over to where he waited with Cloud and Northwind and threw herself onto Northwind's back. She had turned Northwind and was starting back towards Moorland when Daine grabbed the reins "Whoa, wait up, what's wrong?" he looked her up and down as Northwind swung himself around so that they were face to face. "Were you crying? What's wrong? What did he say?" Sybil was feeling overwhealmed, she wanted to go home, away from thisplace and back into safetyof her seclusuion.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. Come by later and bring Avis, we need to talk," She gently pulled the reins from Daine's grip and turned Northwind on heel, galloping away from the Highland and from Ydris. She could feel the sobs tightening her chest as she struggled to hold them in. She didn't remember much of the ride back to Mistfall but she had let Northwind guide them back, it almost seemed as if she blinked and they were home above the wolf den. She unsaddled Northwind, taking her time to groom him and walk him about before letting him wander loose about the plateau. She trusted him to keep out of trouble as she hurried inside, shutting the door before slipping off her shoes. She grabbed a towel and shed her clothes till she stood nude at the top of the stairs and stared into the modest sized bathroom at the claw footed tub. She plugged the tub and turned the hot water full blast until the tub was half full and tossed in things like lavender flowers, rose petals and mint oil. a few drops of a foaming eucalyptus bath kiquid covered the tub in bubbles before she shut off the water. She gingerly stepped in to the hot water and slowly lowered herself until she was finally leaned back against the tub, her legs stretched out so that her toes just barelypoed out the surface near the faucet. She sat like that, submerged for a little while, her eyes closed as she tried to concentrate and steady her mind. Even in the hot water that icy feeling enveloped her as she heard her door bang open as Daine and Avis shouted for her. She oushed away the icy feeling as she heard footsteps come up the staircase and stop outside the bathroom, which in her haste she had forgotten to shut the door. Sybil was thankful she had filled the tub with something that bubbled as it covered her from their averted eyes. "Sorry I.." Daine cut her off as he stormed into the bathroom, his eyes now on her but his cheeks pink "You took off on me without a word,I thought something happened and all you could say was 'come by, bring Avis'," He said guesturing at Avis who was leaned on the doorway, studying the wood grain a bit too hard. Sybil shrank under the water, she felt close to tears again as waved of guilt washed over her "I'm sorry...something did happen.. I got overwhelmed, I had to get out of there. I should have told you," Her steeley green eyes flickered to Daine's sunflower yellow ones and they just stared in silence for a minute until Avis piped up "Are you two gonna kiss or why did we come here?" If looks could kill, the one Daine shot Avis would be lethal for everyone. Daine grabbed the side of the tub to drop himself eye level with Sybil, his fingers submerging in the hot water before pulling them back with a sudden yelp of surprise. "JESUS CHRIST," he yelled as he looked at his now streaming fingertips "What the hell are you even soakin in lava?!" Sybil looked confused though as she was watching the steam rolling off the water and Avis laughed as he pulled Daine up and away from the tub "Maybe that's a sign to let her get out so we can talk and go home," He said dragging Daine back and down the stairs.  Sybil was thankful for a moment before she scowled and sat up to lean over the tub wall "You stay out of my books! Or else!" She yelled, talking mostly to Avis to which all she got in reply was a 'we'll see,' 

Sybil slid completely under the water now, her legs hooking over the tub wall near the faucet, with eyes closed and occasinally letting her breath out through her nose the keep the water from sneaking in through it until she couldn't hold her breath any longer and let her face break the water's surface, blowing away the quickly disappearing foam of bubbles.  She ran her hands quickly through the length of her long curly hair before sitting up and grabbing the gigantic bottle of conditioner from the floor beside the tub and squirting a generous amount in the hair before hastily working it through the thick dark brown locks. Sinking under the steamy water for a last time she furiously ran her fingers across her scalp to rinse every bit of conditioner out before she scooted to unplug the tub and grabbed the drain strainer and popped it in the catch the flowers she could use for compoast later. She grabbed the overly large and fluffy towel off the counter and wrapped it around herself, steam still pouring off her skin as she got out. She could hear shuffling downstairs and quiet whispering "You guys better not be messing around down there," she called from the top of the stairs before opening the door to her bedroom to get dressed. When she left her room she was dressed in a simple white cotton under dress that looked as if it had come straight from a Nordic woman's closet, her hair still mostly wet and soaking into the fabric as it surrounded her head in a curly mess. She was a bit more relaxed, but with Daine and Avis here she still felt the feint feeling of an icy knot in her stomach. She bounded down the stairs and saw Daine and Avis both reading a leather bound journal that was thick and worn with age. She recognized it as the book Elizabeth Sunbeam had given her, its pages filled with secrets of just about all the plants one could find on Jorvik. But it was by their giggling she noticed something was wrong. She strode over and plucked the book from Avis' hands and turned it around, and there, hidden to her from the other side was her dream journal that she had thought she had hidden so well from nosey Avis. To her horror it was turned to a certain dream she had had involving Daine. They were both laughing at her now as her face flushed red, "You guys are impossible, I hope you got an eyeful because you'll never see this again," She said as she closed the dream journal and glared at the both of them. Daine pointed innocently at Avis "He was reading it, I didn't know what it was," Daine happened to look Sybil up and down, his brow furrowing "You look like Mrs. Henderson dressed you," he said as he reached out and took hold of the thin white fabric of the underdress. 

She stared at the both of them, pulling her gown out of Daine's grip "I called you here because I had something to talk to you two about, not for fashion advise," She motioned for Daine to sit in one of the only other chairs in her tiny living room before she plopped herself down on a foot stool in front of the fireplace. "You going to tell us about earlier today at Nihlmer's?" Daine questioned hardly as he crossed his arms over his chest "I told you not to take her there, you saw what happened when she first met you. She nearly keeled over," Avis said as he punched Daine's shoulder "Well, I thought she-" Daine started but Sybil cut off their bickering "I saw something in that crystal ball," She said flatly which had them both looking at her. "What?" Avis said as he leaned towards her, "I don't know exactly everything was pink... but it was also dark. There was a man laughing and it sounded like a girl sobbing and then Ydris snapped me out of it," She put a hand to her head to push back her drying hair and looked at the two of them who were looking at each other before nodding and looking at her "Pandoria," they said in unison. 


End file.
